Ground Water and Land Subsidence – A Pending Crisis?
Californians are familiar with a striking image: a person standing next to a telephone pole with signs labeled with years.
The signs on the pole mark the ground level for each year, demonstrating the severity of subsidence in the valley.
- 1962: top sign
- 1970: several feet lower
- 2015: much further down
- 2019, 2021, and 2025: subsequent signs
This iconic photo illustrates the significant impact of subsidence and the excessive pumping of groundwater without replenishment.
The photo shows how severely subsidence is impacting our valley and how much water is being pumped without being replenished.
Author's summary: Californians face a subsidence crisis due to groundwater pumping.